Commonly, boxes or other articles with planar top and bottom surfaces are stacked in successive layers on a pallet, as for storage or shipment. Automated palletizing equipment is employed in many instances for stacking the boxes or other articles in successive layers on the pallet. Strapping, stretch film, or other wrapping material may be later applied around the pallet and the stacked articles.
As a pallet carrying stacked boxes or other articles without strapping, stretch film, or other wrapping material is being moved by means of a fork lift or other equipment, the stacked articles have a tendency to tumble, particularly if the articles have been stacked in a columnar pattern wherein each article in every layer except the lowermost layer is stacked onto a single article in the underlying layer without bridging two or more such articles.
One known expedient for reducing the tendency of the stacked articles to tumble has been to stack the articles in a so-called brick pattern wherein each article in every layer except the lowermost layer is stacked so as to bridge two or more such articles in the underlying layer. However, where it is desired to employ automatic palletizing equipment, this expedient may not be entirely satisfactory because of the increased complexity of the required equipment.
Another known expedient therefor has been to insert a sheet of stiff paperboard, such as fiberboard or corrugated paperboard, between each layer of stacked articles and the overlying layer. The sheet may have tackified surfaces. This expedient, however, may also not be entirely satisfactory for all applications, since the sheets produce bulky waste when the stacked articles are removed, and since the sheets cover and occlude any pricing data, stock numbers, or other indicia on the top surfaces of the underlying articles.
There has therefore been a continuing need, to which this invention is addressed, for a better way to stabilize layers of stacked boxes or other articles on a pallet.